


who needs serotonin when there is RITA!

by Nottodaylogic (MandaloreArtist)



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alcohol, And Luckily Rita Is There To Provide, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Juno Steel Needs a Hug, Mild Hurt/Comfort, References to Depression, becauuse it’s juno steel, happy valentines day have some RITA!, if i post it now, it’ll be /galentines day/, nonbinary juno steel gives me rights, slams post button, wait wait wait
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22683469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandaloreArtist/pseuds/Nottodaylogic
Summary: is it a rite of passage to project onto juno steel? if so, this is my contribution.plus everyone’s favorite secretary!! that’s right, there’s RITA!!!!
Relationships: Rita & Juno Steel
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	who needs serotonin when there is RITA!

**Author's Note:**

> me: heck i don’t have a special v day fic and no time to yeet one out  
> me: there was that one gomens arospec one, but it’s already posted...  
> brain: post rita n juno friendship wip  
> me, already crying with love: u rite,,,
> 
> (happy galentines day, or valentines if you’re reading this then, we’re aro here and we’re celebrating the good good ladies)

There were days that Juno didn’t really feel like his old _‘Juno Steel, Private Eye’_ self.

On those days, he’d usually stay in the apartment and drink until his blood was half liquor, half hopeless void. If it were a work day, however, he’d force himself to go to the office, because Rita didn’t like it when he wasn’t there without telling her. Said it made her worry, or whatever.

He really didn’t like it when she worried. When she was, she’d call him in a panic and would refuse to quit until he could persuade her he was really doing fine.

So, work.

It had been all he could do to get out of bed and go through the motions of a normal workday, but there were no cases and Rita’s every exclamation had only made him wince. He’d finally called it early when she’d started her fourth stream.

“Alright, I’m falling asleep at my desk. Gonna go home now, Rita. Feel free to lock up when you’re done.”

“But—Mistah Steel—”

The door slammed shut behind him. Juno flinched at the sound, then resolved to take care of his nerves the way he’d always done; with enough whiskey to supply the most trafficked bar on Mars.

* * *

An empty bottle of whiskey from the cheap side of the convenience store and two more lying unopened later, Juno was feeling better—and by ‘better’, he meant less sober.

Every blanket-resembling patch of fabric Juno owned was on the bed, and he was all but actively trying to smother himself in their weight. The effect was that they were wrapped around him in something resembling a hug, only more blanket-y and less warm. Juno could almost pretend he wasn’t quite as pathetic as he actually was.

His arm was lifted to introduce more alcohol to his mouth when someone knocked on the door.

“Mistah Steel?”

Juno set the bottle down. _Ugh, I don’t know if I can even talk right now._ He tried to muster up the energy to tell her to go away, but his laser card was empty.

She knocked again. “Boss? You seemed real down earlier so I brought some extra-extra-dusty snacks. You know, the technically-illegal ones? They’re real easy to get, for bein’ illegal, ‘cause they’re only banned on Mars ‘cause of the whole company scandal shindig, but they’re real good, Boss, I swear!”

“Y’re fired,” groaned Juno.

There was a pause before—

**_CRASH!_ **

The door smashed off its hinges, making Juno flinch.

 _“Mistah Steel?!”_ Her voice was turned up to maximum level, which didn’t do great things to Juno. He raised a hand from the bed, and she padded over. “You alright?”

“Honestly, Rita? I don’t think I can hold a conversation right now.” When she looked confused and started asking why, he just said, “drained. Don’t feel like talking.”

Rita blinks, then shrugs. “Well, that’s alright, Boss. We both know I talk enough for both a’ us. You want a salmon snack?”

Juno shook his head. “Could you just… sit here? Please?”

“A’course!” She nestled into some blankets and leaned against his shoulder. “Want me to put on a stream? _Fish Vampires vs. Tree Mermaids_ is on.”

“Sure, Rita.” He closed his eyes. “That sounds good.”

He fell asleep soon after with the sound of the stream in his ears and Rita by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> can u tell i wrote this while feeling that depression Mood and just really needed a hug 
> 
> my tumblr is nottodaylogic if you want more of my penumbra bullshirtery, plenty more where that came from lemme tell you
> 
> comments n kudos r like free seratonin, pls i crave them


End file.
